Coca-Cola moves all multi-pack cans to cardboard packaging

Coca-Cola moves all multi-pack cans to cardboard packaging

Move to more sustainable secondary packaging saves 500 tonnes of plastic each year

In total, Coca-Cola HBC has reduced plastic use by almost 5,000 tonnes a year since 2019

Together with Coca-Cola Ireland, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland has today announced a further milestone in its ambition to achieve a World Without Waste by 2030, moving all multi-pack cans within its range to more sustainable cardboard packaging.

The move will apply to all products within the multi-pack can range, including Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite.

Larger multi-packs (10, 12, 20 and 24 cans) will be available in cardboard packaging from April 2021. This follows the introduction of new ‘KeelClip’ late last year, which saw smaller multi-packs (4, 6 and 8 cans) transition to an innovative cardboard solution.

In total, the move to more sustainable cardboard packaging will eliminate more than 500 tonnes of hard-to-recycle shrink wrap plastic each year.

The Coca-Cola HBC Group was recently recognised as the world’s most sustainable beverage company by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, acknowledging the company’s commitment to creating and sharing value for all stakeholders.

More sustainabile packaging

Key to this commitment is a focus on designing more sustainable packaging to create a true circular economy for packaging materials.  In Ireland and Northern Ireland, all of the bottles and cans sold by Coca-Cola HBC are 100% recyclable and the company has invested extensively in recycled plastic. Today 45% of its total plastic portfolio is made from recycled materials, an innovation which has removed 3,450 tonnes of new plastic each year. The amount of plastic used in its bottles has also been reduced by 10% since 2018, through various redesign initiatives.

As a result of these investments, the company has eliminated the need for almost 5,000 tonnes of new or unnecessary plastic on an annual basis.

Tom Burke, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland said: “We are immensely proud to be the first soft drink producer in Ireland to move all our multi-pack cans to more sustainable cardboard packaging solutions. This achievement is a further milestone in our journey towards our vision of a World Without Waste, and eliminates the need for more than 500 tonnes of shrink wrap plastic annually.” 

“Combined with our investment in more recycled plastic and our reduction in overall plastic use, in total we have now eliminated the need for almost 5000 tonnes of plastic annually, since 2019.”

The Coca-Cola system

The Coca-Cola system is also committed to collecting back 100% of the bottles and cans it sells by 2030 and is actively investing in partnerships and infrastructure that will increase recycling rates.